Uncoupling mechanism



Jan. 5, 1932. w KELSQ i UNcoUPLING MEGHANISM Filed Oct. 4. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l attenua? Patented Jan. 5, 1932Y i UNITED STATES PATENT vfol-FICE 'i *VVIILLJATEk KEI-30, OF PITTSBUBGI-I,.'ENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE MCCONWAY & TORLEY COMPANY, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, kA. CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- VANIA UNCoUrLING MECHANISM Application. filed October4, 1826. Serial No. 139,407.

Myinvention relates to uncoupling mechanism Jfor actuating the lock of a car coupler. While it is especially Welly suited for application to the standard D-type coupler employing a top operating lock7 the invention may be embodied in uncoupling mechanism applicable to other forms of couplers-as Well.

The primary object of the invention is to coupling lever extending transversely ofthe car and 'providedatV one end with a'cranlr arm for actuatingthe coupler locking mechanism and having at the other end a depending operating handle,-and in providing a plurality of spaced bearing means in 4which the uncouplinglever isjournalled, the-said means being relatively movable so as to permit. the lever to varyk its angular relation in correspondence With the coupler.

A further feature of the invention consists in combining the uncoupling lever with a plurality of relatively 'movable' bearings in Which the lever is journalled, said lever being formed with a hookfportion cooperating with one of. the bearing members to prevent kthe lever from shifting toward the coupler..

Another feature of the invention consists in journalling the uncoupling leverin a plurality of bearing members one of which is detachab-ly pivoted on a bracket secured to the car body in such manner that thelever when in assembledv relation serves to prevent said detachable bearing member from becoming location of the disassociated romthe mechanism.

Other features of the invention pertaining f to advantageous combinations of parts and structural details will hereinafter appear and be pointed out inthe claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of-a car showing an uncouplmg mechanism constructinvention. e

portion at its lower end. coupling lever" are preferably y,formed from edin accordance with the invention applied i thereto, the parts being in the positions they norm-ally occupy when the car coupler is locked.

f Fgufe 2 SiIl end elevational-view oithe ""5 construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 31s a detail sectional view-on the im@ a-a, Figure 1.

Figure i is agdetail sectional viewonthe line 1 -4, Figure l. f

igure 5 is aside elevation ofthe mechamsm. e

Figure 6 isa detail view partly in lplan Aand .partly in section showing one of the bearingdevices and a-portion of theun-r coupling lever lournalled therein.

Figure 7 isa detailview partly in elevation and partly yin vertical section illustrating the portion of the construction shown in Figure V6. e

Figure 8 is a ,view partly in side elevation and partly in section of a modified form of the Figure 9 is a front: elevational View of the construction shown in Figure 8.r

The car coup-ler 1 shown, in the drawings is of thewellknovvn standard D-type, its lock for preventing outward rotation y of the knuckle being adapted to .beactuated by a lifter 2 Which'also functions as a lock-to-thew vlocking mechanism of the carcoupler to assume` unlocked position extends transversely. ofthe car and preferably involves a pluinner member i being` provided at its inner end Withfa crank portion 5 'which extends :through the opening in the upper end 'of the yrality of relatively rotatable members, the

lock 'lifter 2 so'as toV be-capableof ksliding and turning movement Wit respeetto the latter and the outer member 6 beingfconstituted as a depending' operating handle Which isk preferably `fashioned With'an f outturned JAll parts of the unround rodsfthe upper end of the handle member 6 preferably being bent to form an eye throughlwhich the lever member 3feXtends"" and the outer end of the latter' member preferably being bent in the form of a loop or hook portion 7 which by cooperating with the handle member 6 enables the latter to induce an uncoupling rotation of the inner lever member 4.

The inner lever member is journalled in a plurality of spaced bearing devices, 8 and 9 respectively, which, as shown in the principal ligures of the drawings, are preferably mounted upon the car end sill. The inner lever bearing 8 is pivotally mounted on a stationary bracket 10 secured to the car body, its axis of pivotal rotation being substantially normal to that of the uncoupling lever, thus permitting the inner end of the uncoupling shaft or rod to accommodate its angular position to various locations of the coupler and also preventing any binding between the couler body or head casting and the locking lock lifter in the act of uncoupling. For the purpose of flexibly connecting the bearing member 8 to the bracket 10 the former is preferably integrally provided at its outer end with a downwardly extending pivot lug 11 having oppositely disposed locking projections 12 and the bracket 10 is formed with a pivot pin receiving opening 13 which is elon-l gated to permit the locking projections 12 to pass therethrough when the movable bearing member 8 has been turned through an angle of ninety degrees from its assembled relation to the bracket. It will be understood therefore that the movable bearing 8 is interlockingly connected to its pivot bracket 10 in all movable positions which said bearing may occupy when the assembled device is in service. The upwardly extending perforated lug 14 at the inner end of the movable bearing member f 8 is preferably formed with rounded inner surfaces 15 (see Figure as such construction permits the uncoup ing lever and movable bearing member to angle with respect to each other to the necessary extent while at the same time maintaining a desirable closeness of fit between the arts. To afford a substantial support for the earing member 8 when the latter is angularly displaced from its normal position, the inner en of the pivot bracket 10 may conveniently be provided with a curved supporting segment 16 which overlies the inner end of the bearing member.

The outer bearing member 6 for the uncoupling lever is preferably stationary and is desirably constructed with an upwardly and forwardly extending journal lug 17 having a rearwardly opening slot for receiving the shaft portion of the inner lever member 4. Spacedoutwardly from the lug 17 the member 9 is fashioned with an upstanding lug 18 which overlaps the outer end of the inner lever member 4 so as to prevent the latter from shifting outwardly transversely of the car. On the opposite side of the lug 17 the bearing member 9 is preferably provided with an upwardly projecting lug 19 which by engaging the inner face of the eye at the upper end of the handle member 6 of the lever prevents the latter from shifting inwardly toward the coupler 1. As the outer end 7 of the lever member 4 is hooked around the bearing lug 17 movement of said lever member towards the coupler is prevented when the parts are in assembled relation; and as the upper end of the handle member 6 stands adjacent the inner face of the lug 17 the latter thereby prevents outward movement of said handle member. It will also be appreciated that as the outer hooked end 7 of the uncoupling member 4 is looped around the bearing lug 17 so as to extend in front of the latter, no bolt or cotter is required to prevent the uncoupling lever from becomin accidentally disassociated from the bearing racket 9 after the latter has been bolted in position on the car.

The assembling of the uncoupling device on the car may be accomplished as follows: The inner base casting or anchor 10 for the movable uncoupling bearing lever is bolted or riveted to the car end sill and the bearin member 8 is then operatively associate therewith by turning it about ninety degrees to its normal assembled position, then inserting its pivot lug 11 into the pivot opening of the anchor bracket and finally rotating the bearing` 8 until its locking lugs 12 are out of alinernent with the opening in the bracket. The inner uncoupling rod member 4 is then passed through the opening in the lug 14 of the movable bearing member and its inner end is inserted in the opening of the lock lifter 2. The handle member 6 is then placed on the uncoupling shaft 4 and the outer bearing bracket 9 is then associated with these parts. The bearing member 9 is then bolted or riveted to the end sill thus locking all parts in place.

The modified construction illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 is the same as that heretofore described except that the movable inner bearin for the uncoupling lever is of a form suitable for attachment to the end of the car body instead of to the end sill. In this construction the bearing member 20 for the uncoupling lever is fashioned as a link having eyes 21 and 22 respectively,

ylying in planes at right angles to each other,

member to rotate yin its bearings thereby c causing the crank portion to pull the lock lifter 2 upwardly and thereby actuate the coupler locking block.v If the operation of the coupler lock is such that it remains -in elevated or unlocked position when the trainman releases the handle member 6, the latterbecause of its flexible connection with the inner uncoupling member l is enabled to fall back to its normal position, thus affording the maximum clearance between cars at all times except while the act of uncoupling is being performed e l. In uncoupling mechanism for car cou plers, the combination of an uncouplinglever involving an inner member and an outer member rotatablewith respect to said inner member and adapted to actuate the latter, said inner member being provided atits inner end with a crank arm for actuating the locking mechanism of a car coupler, and a plurality of spaced bearing devices for rotat ably mounting said inner member on the car, one of said devices being interposed between said crank arm and said outer member and being adapted to swing horizontallywith respect to the car body on a fixed pivotal'axis disposed between said crank arm and said' outer member.

2. In uncoupling mechanism for ycar couplers, the combination of an uncoupling lever, and a plurality of relatively movable spaced bearing members in which the lever is journaled, one of sai-d bearing members being formed with a rearwardly opening slot for receiving the lever, said lever involving an inner member having at its inner end a crank portion for actuating the coupler locking mechanism and being provided at its outer end with a bent portion having hooked engagement with said slotted bearing member, and an outerv member rotatably mounted on said inner member and adaptedto cooperate with said bent portion for effecting f an uncoupling rotation of said inner member.

plers, the combination of an uncoupling lever for actuating the coupler locking mechanism, laterally spaced relatively movable` bearing members in which the lever is journaled, and a bracket on which the inner of said bearing members is detachably pivoted, the outer'of said bearing members being secured to the car body and being provided with a lug adapted to engage the lever to prevent outward shifting of the latter transversely of the car, and having a lug forming a rearwardly opening bearing for the lever 4. In uncoupling mechanism for car cou- 3. In uncoupling mechanism for car couplers, the combination of an uncoupling lever comprising inner and outer relatively rotatable portions, the inner portion having a crank arm for cooperating with the coupler looking mechanism and having a hook portion at its outer end, and the outer portion being dependent from said inner portion and providing a handle` for operating the latter, and a plurality of relatively movable laterally spaced bearing members in which said inner lever member is j ournaled, the outer of said bearing members being provided with a lug for preventing outward lateral shifting of the inner lever member and also being formed with a lug for cooperating with the outer lever member to prevent lateral shifting of the latter toward the coupler.

5. In uncoupling mechanism-for car couplers, the combination of a rotatable uncoupling lever extending transversely of the car and having a crank handle and a relatively movable crank arm for actuating the coupler locking mechanism, and a plurality of spaced bearing means disposed between said crank arm and the car side and in which said uncoupling lever is rotatably mounted, the said means nearer the crank arm being pivotally connected to the car body so as to rotate on a iXed vertically extending axis tothereby permit said lever to vary itsangue lar position in correspondence with the location of the'coupler, said pivotal axis being 'zov sof

disposed between said crank arm and said handle. 

